The Annals of Old (Closed/IC)

[Chekovenezia]

The Duke of Sinah-i province had sent the expedition over land to the fabled Sineppland, a place, according to rumors, with many wonders such as gold and oil, as well as exotic spices and a strange new plant, which did not need water to grow, colored green, with many spikes sticking out of it. Unfortunately, it also happened to be a desert - rather hot in the summers - ESPECIALLY in the summers......

The expedition is expected to reach the area within 6 months.

[Cymria]

The Lord, hearing of the Chekovenezian expedition, hurried to usher in legislation allowing the proposed colonies on each of the Beltraiz islands, and also to expand the Shistor and Guri outposts on the Eastern Continent. Though most already had base settlements and trading posts, the larger influx of new migrants and goods from the mainland was expected to arrive at all of the colonies within about two to three months, depending on conditions back in Cymrian ports.

[Chekovenezia]

The Grand Merchantate, eager to fill up gaps in his administration, has promoted Ar'r Enay, a merchant specialising in cucumbers, to the position of Lord Viceroy, after reading his 113-paged Scrolls on the Mastery of Combat. With that being done, the Grand Merchantate decided to test the new Commander-in-Chief of the Militia by sending him on an expedition to the southern part of the Sovaland Continent - three ships to see if the rumors of a civilisation located there were true.....

[Ancient Perstra]

Grand-Vizier Ilnuch Artaxerxes, son of the Disgraced One, strode down the Hall of The Thousandth Oryx to where the Duke was. "Sir! We've had many reports that there are Cymrian outposts alarmingly close to our land and cities!

[Cymria]

OOC: Just so you know, Perstra, according to the regional map even the closest of my outposts is actually at least a fortnight of travel if on foot and probably about three days by sea, so they are not really 'alarmingly close'.

[Impalia]

The Sovaland raiders had landed in the port. A Gracian that had been captured last winter by a lightning strike. The villagers were now more than happy to maintain the port of Atens whether from the threat of total annihilation by the Sovaland troopers, or the protection they offered against the chaotic Gracian and Teutalant states which terrorized the countryside in an attempt to unite the area underneath their own crowns. "Gracian soldiers sighted!" The alarmed cry of the sentry brought all of the raiders quickly to their feet from lazing around the small markets. The ballistas mounted on the heavy wooden pallisade which protected Atens were quickly swiveled to face the threat. The glint of sunlight off iron armour could be clearly seen depsite the lush vegetation near the town. A messenger was quickly despatched to warn Niffelhiem and Midgard of the invasion of Atens.......
Meanwhile in Niffelhiem
The Naader had drawn up 2 companies of Huscarls from the House of Artic Wolves, and a mixed battalion of skirmishers and militia. They would be sent to Atens to prepare for the invasion of the northern Teutalant States.

[Cymria]

Perstra was becoming cocky. Though its exotic goods were of great value overseas in Chekovenezia, it had no such worth closer to home in the Eastern Continent where such things were common nature. It had dared to question the trading policies of Cymria, and had gone as far as demanding they secede their colonies to them! The Lord immediately ordered the merchant fleet to gather and mustered the army. This would likely be a naval matter but the armies began to move into the border towns in case of attack from Perstra, and the merchant fleet gathered its wings together, preparing to join the Great Navy at Desdeire. 700 of their 1100 ships were estimated to be available for the initial attack, but with 250 men for each ship, they would have to feed 175,000 sailors and arm the ships with more than 2100 siege weapons and catapults. Tar was loaded onto ships in barrels and orders went out for each man to practice his archery at least five times a day, by decree from the Lord. Cymria had not gone to war for a long time, but its soldiers remembered when they had created a picturesque portrait of wealth not from gold but from blood.

[Ancient Perstra]

The Duke had received word. It was now time for Perstra to mark its name in the military history of the region as it had done millenia ago.
He immediately ordered 800 of the 1,000 navy ships to begin operations.

[Impalia]

The Siege of Atens

Sovaland Forces 1

Gracian Forces

35 Sovaland Atens Infantrymen 2

102 Gracian Hoplites

43 Sovaland Raiders 3 1

43 Gracian Helots (Including 100 slingers)

22 Atens town militia 4

48 Heavy Teban Mercenaries

10 Atens armed citizens 5

20 siege ladders.

8 Heavy balista. 6

2 Catapults.

The Sovaland forces are arranged on the walls, behind heavy wooden bulwalks and shields to protect them from slinger missiles. The heavy ballista are protected by a small force of Atens Infantry men who have also arranged their shields to protect from enemy fire. This does narro the arc of the ballistas greatly but also increases their survivability. The hoplits are armed with throwing spears and swords whilst the helots mostly consist of lightly armed slingers. The Teban mercenaries are well armoured and well armed and a force to be feared.

[Cymria]

A fast convoy bearing the Cymrian flag waved down the small group of Sovalanders who had not been with the main group. Offering a job for several months, paid, fed, and transported on boat without walking. They would become mercenaries to Cymria for a year or while the war with Perstra lasted, if they accepted. However, the Cymrian told them also to inform their leader who was defending Atens of his proposition.

-------------

Meanwhile, another rode to Atens, bearing a coinbag and supplies. When he reached the Teban camp, he offered them an Aurus of solid gold each, if only they would ride with him instead of the Gracians, and fight for Cymria. They were also told to convey the message to the rest of their people who needed work, elsewhere.

[Impalia]

The Gracian fleet had caught them off guard. Not expecting to be caught so close to the coast, the Sovaland fleet floundered as they were hailed by spears and stones. The casualites were reasonably light, as the enemy slingers were still enganging at maximum range. Heavy stones clattered against the Sovaland shields methodically as the catapults continued to rain hell upon the warships. The Sovaland ballista were firing as well now, heavy flaming bolts arcing in the fog, smashing into the enemy shields, whilst others bounced harmlessly into the water.

Meanwhile in Atens
The battle had begun, and ended almost immediately. A massive charge from the heavily burdened hoplites supported by helot fire was stopped brutally by rapid and accurate ballista fire and heavy iron axes smashing against any troops who managed to make it up to the walls. The casualties were 15 wounded and 2 dead for the Sovalanders, the dead being two unfortunate citizens who had strayed too far into the open. Meanwhile the Gracians had 44 wounded and 26 dead, causing a massive dent in their assault force. The Teban mercs also appeared to have fled in the assualt leaving the Gracian forces with their morale horribly savaged.

[Cymria]

The Cymrian rider galloped further north to the Teban cities that dotted the Gracian area, escorted by his new Teban mercenaries, 50 strong and well fed. He was to gather a larger force, of about 500 men, to take back home.

[Ancient Perstra]

Meanwhile, the naval forces, amounting to 800 out of the total 1000 ships lined abreast and formed a barricade spanning from the northern coasts of Perstra to the southern coasts of Perstra. Its siege weapons were now methodically being prepared, and archers were in the rear ready to shoot flaming arrows. The main weapons of the ships included the scorpios, crossbow fixed onto bulwarks, use of the front of the ship as a battering ram, magic fire blown through tubes also fixed upon bulwarks, and copper weights dropped from a pole rigged out. This was the basic outline of weapons used in the Perstran naval galley.

The front ships would try and ram between the Cymrian ships in order to 'shave' off the oars of their ships. If this should fail, they were already at close quarters and would begin crossbolt fire, arrows, magic fire and finally boarding the ships. The corva would be used as a simple yet usually effective boarding mechanism.

++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

Meanwhile...
* 20,000 men would be stationed at Vungurda, ----- [ mustered from north of Babolyn province, ready in 2 weeks]
* 40,000 heading for Babolyn (its own garrison having 35,000] ----- [ mustered from north of Tothis province, ready in 3 weeks ]
* 12,000 at Volgn ----- [ mustered from Labinth and south of Tavuva, ready at earliest in 2.5 weeks ]

Additionally, a reserve force consisting of 2 Brigades would patrol between Vungurda and Babolyn, also transporting supplies from Mnona.

* 1 Division would be put into Numabia, entirely sourced from troops in the province of Tothis. [ mustered from Tothis, Anzero and Labinth, ready at earliest in 4 weeks ]

[Chekovenezia]

With the war between Cymria and Perstra having begun, the Grand Merchantate decided to, in the interests of national profits, send mercenaries to both sides - 4,000 heavy infantry, veterans of the Banian Wars, to the Cymrians, and 4,000 of the locally recruited and trained heavy Cataphracts to the Perstrans. This war would also be the first practical field test of the lorica segmentata.....

MEANWHILE - the Expedition to the Sinepland was now around 20 weeks away from their destination, and had, on their overland route, mapped out the centre of the southern continent - also discovering some primitive tribes - tribes which could, perhaps, be used as auxiliaries or mercenaries.....

[Ancient Perstra]

The Duke furrowed his head yet again as he tohught to himself... Perstra's weakling navy would never equally match the naval might of superpower Cymria. There could be another way however... He immediately sent a papyrus via diplomatic envoy, on fast horseback full speed ahead to Chekovenezia requesting 500 naval ships paid with 1,500,000 Carid (gold coins).

Meanwhile, the current navy was preparing to form into an arrangement around Meditar Is. and line abreast in a rough elliptical shape.


The defensive side of things on the ship was mainly tin plated front and back and reinforced copper on the front to help. Along the sides were copper as well. There were hand-held, trigger mechanism crossbows as well. A large proportion of troops were put upon the frontmost ships, and when ramming, they could use the scorva to board the enemy ships and begin offensive strikes.

Also, mass shipments of supplies were being put into the island in case of a Cymrian siege, and, because the biome around the south coasts of the Perstran mainland was mountainous with rainforest below, siege weapons could be hidden to a degree and attack any Cymrian ships which ventured too close to the shores. Additionally, upon the parapets of North Meditar Fortress ad South Meditar Fortress, there were potentially hundreds of long-range scorpios mounted. A rather large supply of magic fire was now stored within the Fortresses. Also, blast furnaces were being stoked up so that large bellows could pump smoke into any tunnels that were being dug. Outside the fortresses, the temperate climate enabled armies to camp outside and begin construction of ballistae, although time was running out fast.


Back down south, much of the southern garrisons were now approaching the native tribes, and providing them and training them with simple battleaxes and bows and arrows. As the native tribes knew the land best, they were to help with tactical offensive strikes.

[Cymria]

The Cymrian ambassador rode into Chekovia with a huge entourage, richly outfitted and bearing even more gifts than their last expedition. Approaching, he quietly indicated his intention to speak with the Chekovian minister about the deal arranged by letter over the past month....

-------

Meanwhile, the small colonies to the south of Perstra had heard of the dangerous moves by Perstra and the declaration of war. Worried, they took the large amounts of money that had been brought with the messenger news ship and headed out into the desert to find assistance from the natives... a small contingent also head north toward the jungles.

[Chekovenezia]

MILESTONE: The Sinepland is Reached!

After a long and harrowing journey through savannahs and desert wastelands, the 80-man expedition has finally reached the tip of the Sinepland. Though it was nothing but a desert wasteland, there was a stream there, as well as a large rock valley, making it a good spot for a prospective settlement. They placed the Standard of the Grand Merchantate on the beach to claim the land for the Republic, then prepared for the journey back, and to make their report.....

ANOTHER (sorta less-known) MILESTONE: New Civilisation Discovered
The three boat expedition has spotted what appeared to be a desert empire in the southern part of the Sovaland Continent......

---

Chekovia City, 254th Day of the Reign of the Grand Merchantate
The Cymrian Envoy had made a tantalising offer - 12 million florins for 2,000 vessels, with supplies and crew, as well as the immediate halting of all military aid, including weapons and armour, to Perstra. Seeing the potential boost the economy could receive, the Grand Merchantate accepted, sealing the deal.

[Ancient Perstra]

Senior Chiefin Ahid, garrison at Aegron, Labinth, went scouting eastwards for natives, and stumbled upon the tribe of Ynuk (minor), in deep discussion with a foreign representative party. Wondering what the fuss was about, he stopped his Tong (100-men force) and requested entry...

[Cymria]

With the navy gathered, 400 ships began to set off for the Isle of Meditar, in order to secure a close port from which they could restock and go out to siege the cities on the coast regularly with artillery shelling. The ships were arranged in a three wedges, one before the other. Hopefully they could pierce through the ships, and then while the archers and sailors boarded other ships, the onboard soldiers could row out to the shore and set up camp on the southern tip of the island. Two or three larger ships would continue through the wedged gap, dropping of siege weapons and construction material, before landing their troops as well. This was to be conducted quickly, and meanwhile, the other three hundred began to sail for the northern coastline of Perstra, near Babolyn, and avoiding Meditar completely, though they could still attack the diminished Perstran forces if the initial landing were to fail.

----
Meanwhile, the guards that had come with the diplomats who had been garrisoned in the outpost heard clamour for entry outside, while the diplomats made agreements with the Ynuk tribe to fight for them. Numbering about three-hundred in total, they were the party from Port Guri. With the whole town scared of the Perstran war, almost everyone had left to go and search for help, along with the full complement of guards, supplemented by the escort from the messenger ships. Quietly, he told a few members of his group to find the others, and gathered his own thirty elites who had accompanied him into the town into formation.

[Chekovenezia]

Diplomatic Mission to Niffelheim

The Grand Merchantate ordered an envoy to be sent to Sovaland to acquire Ballistae so that it could, in turn, be sold to other nations, willing to purchase them, barring Perstra, as stated in the 12 million florin deal.

[Ancient Perstra]

With both fortresses on the Isle of Meditar fully stocked, supplied, and ready for action, the naval forces were on the vigil, looking out for any sign of the Cymrian


MEANWHILE:

The 70,000 strong Perstran army was now on its way southwest, having mustered at Mnona. It job was to be stationed and fortify the city of Babolyn.

On the Isle of Meditar, its own army force of 100,000 men both inside fortresses and outside were preparing for battle. The encampments outside were slowly moving outwards toward the coast to assist the naval force by shooting arrows and crossbolt projectiles. Onboard the ships, magic fire was prepared to be either siphoned, flung and/or shot to the enemy side.

[Cymria]

As the Pestran navy came into sight just barely on the horizon, the Commander ordered the rowers to begin and the sailors above waited, preparing to close the sails quickly as soon as they came into arrow range. The catapults and a new weapon they had been keeping secret were already assembled on deck but were readied to fire. The new weapon was the Polybolos, a huge ballista like weapon that could fire again and again without a need to reload. Though they had little expertise in ballistae, Cymrian engineers had successfully created this wondrous machine. However, due to their inexperience with ballistae in general, the polybolos was expensive to make. Only about three were placed on each ship, but it was still a formidable enemy even in such small numbers.

[Ancient Perstra]

210,000 men, mustered from all parts of the nation within a relatively short space of 12-13 weeks (3 months) were now ready to begin their march northwest toward Cymria. This was the initial stage of the expedition north. They would plan to go by the Eiren ford...

MEANWHILE:

The island of Meditar now had a total of 120,000 men (80,000 of whom were fully trained and 40,000 who had volunteered and given 1 month of basic training). It was also stocked up to last (in the event of Cymria occupying the whole large island) a maximum of 3 months.

[Cymria]

Speeding into the enemy line, the Commander saw that they were lined up in one large circle around the island. Perfect. The ships began to speed faster as the drummer upped the tempo while the sails were gathered and closed. Archers let loose flaming arrows, aiming for the vulnerable sails of the enemy ships. Their small stock of Magic Fire, leftovers from the last warehouse stocks they had, was prepared and the catapults began their relentless assault. Splitting the water, the first ships of the wedge drew in their oars as they rammed into the Perstran line, shearing off oars and smashing through with vicious force. The soldiers began to spear at the enemy sailors over the edge of the ships, at an advantage because of the range afforded them due to their spears. Archers began to fire in earnest, and due to the size of the Cymrian ships, they could fit many more men who were waiting to row their way out to the shore.

----

Meanwhile, the ships that had sailed along the northern coast came into sight of Vungurda, and one rowboat made its way into the harbour. With 300 ships, the fleet was certainly formidable beyond belief, and even if the Perstran crown would not surrender, they were willing to bet that the civilians were certainly very much concerned for their lives. Offering surrender or shelling and siege, the ships waited for a reply.

[Ancient Perstra]

The front ships of the circle formation were feeling the brunt of it all, however, the sides and rear were nearly getting no shots. The circle slowly opened from the rear and began sailing around to form another circle, this time enveloping the 400 Cymrian ships. The front ships were engaging in fierce battle, and although the Cymrians certainly had the advantage of distance and could easily spear the Perstran soldiers, soldiers did after all have shields, forming a wall. Archers and fire-archers behind the soldiers put down their shields and began firing distanced shots at the enemy. Additionally, all magic fire siphons were fired as simultaneously as possible. There were roughly 20 pipes on each ship, so there would be plenty to go around. Magic-fire was also flung, as well as boiling water, and boiling oil.

Now for the real strike. The front and side ships (basically whole fleet except for the ones reforming their position) began the ram, accelerating with every forward movement. The Cymrian ships had just rammed some of the Perstran ships, and so it was not possible at all that they could immediately defend against such a forceful ram, before first untangling themselves from the ships.

Whilst the ramming operation, all ranged weapons directed at the enemy were activated and fired, reloading as smoothly as they had done in the months of training.

---

MEANWHILE...

At the southern coast of the Perstran mainland, in the fortified city of Vungurda there were approximately 200,000 home troops which had been mustered from locally, from towns and cities. Additionally, native forces would arrive, bringing the total to 201,000. This was just above the standard size of a battalion, commanded by Armed Machel Stekhos Nudgell. Nudgell sent his Senior Sergeant Polentus with a caretaker Vikh contingent to inform the Cymrians that they would fight to the death, however bloody it may be. United in passion, patriotism and people-power, Nudgell believed that the Perstrans, a renowned mighty warrior nation, could stand up to a midget of a merchant nation.